Locomotive spark arrester



June 2%, 1945. JONES 2,379,007

LOCOMOTIVE SPARK ARRESTER Filed June 29, 1944 Patented June 26, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,379,007 I LOCOMOTIVE SPARK'ARRESTER Leon H. Jones, Norfolk, Va. Application June 29, 1944, Serial No. 542,783

3 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in railroad locomotives of the steam type, and has for its primary object Another very important object of the invention is to provide a locomotive of the aforementioned character comprising unique means, controlled from the cab, for shutting off the major portion of the draft to the stack when desired as, for example, when starting a heavy train.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a spark arresting and draft controlling means for locomotives of the aforementioned character which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in operation, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following-specification,.

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in transverse section through the front end portion of a locomotive equipped with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section.

Figure 3 is a detail View in side elevation of the air or steam unit which closes the intake port cover.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference character I designates the front portion of the usual casing of a locomotive boiler. Mounted in the front portion of the casing I is the usual smoke box 2 provided with the screen 3 on its front, etc.

Rising from the casing I is a stack 4. In the embodiment illustrated, the stack 4, including the petticoat, etc., is in one piece. Projecting upwardly in the lower portion of the stack 4 is the usual exhaust nozzle 5.

Projecting forwardly from the stack 4 in the smoke box 2 is an intake port or neck 6. The forward end portion of the intake neck 6 has mounted therein a spark and cinder arresting screen I of suitable mesh. Also mounted on the forward end of the intake neck 6 is a plurality of forwardly projecting blocks 8, the purpose of which will be presently set forth.

Brackets 9 are mounted on the front portion of the stack structure 4 below the intake neck 6. A

transverse shaft I0 is journaled in the brackets 9. Fixed on the shaft I0 between the brackets 9 is a cover II for the intake neck 6. The cover II is prevented from completely closing the intake neck 6 by the spacing blocks 8 with which said cover is engageable.

The shaft I0 projects through one side of the casing I and has fixed thereon a pinion gear I2. Mounted on this side of the casing I is a power unit I3 for closing the cover II. The unit I3 includes a longitudinal air or steam cylinder I4 in which a piston I5 is operable. The piston I5 is fixed on one end of a rack bar I6 which is maintained in engagement with the pinion gear I2 by a guide roller IT. A pipeline I8 connects the cylinder I4 on one side only of the piston I5 to the source of air or steam. A control valve (not shown) in the cab of the locomotive is interposed in the line I8.

It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, when the locomotive is under way and running easily, the cover I I is suspended in open position, as shown in full lines in Figure 2 of the drawing. Smoke from the box 2 enters the stack 4 through the intake neck 5. Sparks, cinders, etc., in the smoke are arrested by the screen 1 and drop by gravity to the lower portion of the smoke box 2. Should it be desired to shut oil the major portion of the draft to the stack 4, as when starting a heavy train and the sparks and cinders as well as the smoke are excessive, the engineer opens the valve in the line I8 to admit air or steam to the forward end portion of the cylinder I4. Thus, the piston I5 is moved rearwardly, as suggested by the arrows in Figure 3 of the drawing, for rotating the shaft I0. through the rack bar I6 and the pinion gear I2, in a direction to swing the cover II upwardly to operative position against the spacing elements 8, as suggested in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawing. It will thus be seen that the intake neck 6 is nearly but not entirely closed. When the air or steam is exhausted from the cylinder. I4 the cover II swings downwardly to open position by gravity.

It is believed that the many advantages of a locomotive spark eliminating and smoke stack draft controlling means constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

on the projecting end portion of the shaft, a

cylinder, for the reception of a fluid under pressure, mounted in cooperative relation to the cylinder, a piston operable in the cylinder,' a rack bar connected to the piston and engaged with a gear on said shaft for rotating the shaft in a direction to close the cover, said cover being operable by gravity to open position, and projections mounted around the intake opening for engagement by the cover for preventing said cover from completely closing said intake opening.

2. In a spark arrester, in combination with the discharge stack of a locomotive having a screened lateral intake opening, means for controlling the communication between the intake opening and the stack, said means including spaced projections surrounding the said intake opening and a cover movable bodily toward and from said opening, whereby to prevent complete closing of the opening when the cover is in contact with said projections and to vary the greater capacity of the opening when the cover is moved from said such contact.

3. The structural combination as set forth in claim 2 and further including with the control means for-the intake opening of the stack, means for selectively operating said cover to and from covering position.

LEON H. JONES. 

